It is known that liquid products, for example beer, soft drinks, fruit juices or similar products, are filled and stored in large-volume containers, such as drums or kegs. Kegs usually have a valve arrangement through which the keg is filled with the liquid product and through the liquid product is drawn from the container for consumption via a tap system that is connected to this valve arrangement.
Valve arrangements of this kind are introduced and fastened to a valve mounting-section of the container wall inside the keg. In some known valve arrangements, a circlip attaches an external valve part to this valve mounting-section of the container by a circlip. In other known valve arrangements, a male thread provided on an external valve part screws into the valve mounting-section.
A difficulty with such valve arrangements, which are also known as fittings, is that mold can form inside the intricate component structures of the valve arrangements as the container rotates from the filling plant, to the customer, and back to the filling plant, i.e. during the multiple use of the container.
A major cause of this problem is that, in the region of the valve arrangement and, in particular, in the transitional region between the external valve part and the valve mounting-section of the container, there are many intricate structures. These include such structures as openings, gaps or undercuts. These all come into contact with product as the container is being filled.
Given the intricate configuration of these openings and gaps or undercuts, it is very difficult to subsequently remove or rinse away any residual product, even using intensive rinsing operations or similar cleaning methods. These product residues can spoil during the subsequent storage of the container and cause mold to form depending on the storage conditions.